The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to people on the South Coast, with the Batemans Bay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) opening from 4 December 2023. The Batemans Bay Medicare UCC is located at 7 Pacific Street.
This Medicare UCC delivers on the Australian Government’s commitment to make it easier for people on the South Coast to get the urgent treatment they need – from highly qualified doctors and nurses – while taking pressure off local hospitals.
The Medicare UCC will be open for extended hours, 7 days a week, and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk billed.
More than 55 per cent of presentations to the Batemans Bay Hospital are for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
This clinic will join 11 clinics that are already operational in Albury, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Maroubra, Peninsula, Penrith, Rooty Hill, Tamworth, Westmead, and Wollongong. The final two Medicare UCCs in New South Wales, located in Campbelltown and Lake Haven, will also open before the end of the year.
The Australian Government will continue to work closely with Primary Health Networks and the New South Wales Government to deliver the remaining Medicare UCCs, all of which will open this year.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“The Batemans Bay Medicare UCC will mean people in this community who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly even if it’s outside standard hours – and all they’ll need is their Medicare card.
“This clinic will ease pressure on the Batemans Bay Hospital, allowing them to concentrate on higher priority emergencies.
“The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening Medicare and making it easier and cheaper to get quality healthcare, by tripling the bulk billing incentive and making medicines cheaper.”
Quotes attributable to Fiona Phillips MP:
“The Batemans Bay Medicare UCC is going to make a big difference to local patients across the South Coast.
“We know how hard it is to see a GP, we know that local hospitals are under pressure and people are having to wait too long, pay too much, or travel too far to get the care they need, particularly in urgent but not life-threatening instances.
“This sees far too many people end up in our overstretched local hospitals unnecessarily.
“I’m delighted that the Batemans Bay Medicare UCC will provide the close to home urgent care that local people need, and be bulk billed under Medicare.
“This is particularly true during school holiday periods when our population doubles in size, putting even more pressure on our local services – this walk in clinic will make a real difference to the local community, and I am so pleased it is now open in time for the Christmas rush.”
